In fashionable instances, we’ve largely forgotten many conventional remedies. We know the health benefits of essential oils, however different historic remedies are much less well-known and could seem odd. Bentonite clay is one of these natural remedies that isn’t as extensively identified however is extraordinarily efficient.
Mother Nature affords natural remedy throughout us. Animals instinctively eat grime and clay to take away poisons from their systems or during instances of sickness or misery. Taking a cue from nature, bentonite clay is perhaps a good option for detoxing.
In the previous decade, bentonite (and other healing clays) has change into more and more fashionable. It has so many cleansing advantages, each internally and externally. Because of its therapeutic properties, bentonite is value including to your natural drugs cupboard.
What Is Bentonite Clay?
Bentonite clay consists of aged volcanic ash. The identify comes from the most important identified deposit of bentonite clay positioned in Fort Benton, Wyoming. It’s also referred to as “Montmorillonite clay” after the Montmorillon area of France, the place it was first found.
It’s an odorless grayish-cream coloration with an nearly comfortable, very effective consistency. Unlike different clays, it doesn’t stain and is straightforward to work with in magnificence and natural treatment recipes.
Healing clays like bentonite have a high focus of minerals. These embrace silica, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, and potassium. They adsorb and take away toxins, heavy metals, and impurities, making bentonite an glorious natural treatment.
Where Is Bentonite Clay Found?
Although 70% of the world’s bentonite comes from Wyoming, it’s additionally present in Montana, California, Arizona, and Colorado. It’s additionally discovered internationally in Italy, Germany, Greece, Japan, and different international locations.
Is Bentonite Clay Safe For Humans?
Yes, bentonite is taken into account secure for human use. But make sure you purchase a respected food-grade model. This is particularly true for those who plan to make use of it internally. Some complement manufacturers have heavy metals in them and have been banned by the FDA. I like this brand.
Benefits of Bentonite Clay
The advantages of bentonite are quite a few. It affords wonderful health advantages from digestive points to cleansing and pores and skin irritations. But it additionally offers many advantages to your wellness routine. From cleaning pores and skin to serving to with breakouts, it’s a great instrument to incorporate in your skincare recipes.
Bentonite’s advantages embrace:
- Relief from digestive points like irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux disease, constipation, bloating, fuel, and so forth.
- Help with pores and skin and allergy points like breakouts and dermatitis
- Provides minerals for the physique
- Recovery from vomiting and diarrhea
- Detoxification
- Oral health assist
In his e book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Dr. Weston A. Price reported a number of native cultures ate clay frequently. Often, they carried balls of dried clay of their baggage. When they ate, they dissolved a small quantity of clay in water to forestall poisoning from any doable toxins.
Bentonite Clay for Detox
Bentonite clay is exclusive as a result of it produces an “electrical charge” when hydrated. When moist, its electrical parts change, creating a unfavorable charge that bonds to a optimistic charge in lots of toxins.
When it is available in contact with a toxin, chemical, or heavy metallic, the clay absorbs the toxin and releases its minerals for the physique to make use of. Bentonite additionally helps get oxygen to cells because it pulls extra hydrogen and permits the cells to switch it with oxygen as a substitute.
Bentonite clay is an glorious option for natural cleansing as a result of it binds to toxins and attracts them out.
What Toxins Does Bentonite Clay Remove?
Because bentonite can bind to toxins and take away them from our systems, it could possibly take away heavy metals. This contains metals like lead, copper, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. It’s additionally been discovered to take away T-2 toxicosis (a poisonous mycotoxin), aflatoxins (a cancer-causing chemical), toxic pesticides, and toxins in food. This article summarizes the research finished on the numerous cleansing skills of bentonite.
In addition, it could possibly help take away toxins like MRSA and different micro organism. A examine from Arizona State University confirmed that bentonite clay was highly effective at killing MRSA, Salmonella, E. coli, and others. What’s promising is that relying on how the clay kills the an infection, it might not be doable for the MRSA or different micro organism to develop a resistance to it because it does with antibiotics.
Uses of Bentonite Clay
Bentonite is a staple in my natural drugs chest. I’ve used it internally and externally on myself and my children for varied points. It’s cheap and can be utilized for thus many home remedies.
Because of its detoxifying properties, it’s a frequent ingredient in detoxifying and cleaning merchandise. When used internally, it has an alkalizing impact on the physique, and it could possibly help balance gut bacteria.
Skin and Allergy Uses
Because it’s extremely adsorbent and may take away toxins, bentonite is a great option for caring for pores and skin points. You can apply it to insect bites or stings, cuts, itching, burns, or blemishes. I make a paste of bentonite and water, depart it on till it dries, and wash it off. It’s particularly calming for itching from eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox, and so forth. For these with zits, it helps with extra sebum for clearer pores and skin.
For more extreme pores and skin points, I create a poultice. I put a thick layer of clay on the pores and skin and apply moist gauze or a material over it. I wrap the world and depart it on, altering it each 2 hours. I’ve even used it for allergic reactions to poison ivy.
When transitioning to natural deodorant, it’s useful to detox your armpits. You can learn more about why here. I exploit a combination of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar for this detox. I’ve additionally used it to detox my hair!
If your child has a diaper rash, bentonite clay makes a soothing child powder. You can even make it into a clay “mask” to help pace restoration on this space.
When I had mastitis, I created a poultice or masks of bentonite clay and water and utilized it to the pores and skin. externally to the world. I repeated as needed each hour till the an infection was gone. I additionally took it internally during the an infection.
Beauty and Skin Care Uses
Bentonite is a quite common clay utilized in DIY magnificence and skincare merchandise. Its skill to bind with and take away impurities makes it an glorious ingredient in cleansers, face masks, mud masks, soaps, and detox baths. It additionally helps take away useless pores and skin cells, clear clogged pores, and deep clean pores.
For easy and healthy pores and skin, I make a bentonite clay masks by mixing a paste of bentonite and water. I depart it on for 20 minutes and wash it off with heat water. I do that a couple of times a week. Bentonite clay powder combined with apple cider vinegar additionally makes an glorious balancing face masks.
For cleaning, I add clay to my homemade soap to provide it a silky really feel. I additionally make this facial cleansing bar. Bentonite clay cleaning soap is great for greasy pores and skin varieties and pimples.
When I take a detox bath, I typically add 1/4 cup of bentonite clay to the water. This creates a enjoyable tub that softens the pores and skin. If I don’t have time for a full tub, I’ll take a detox foot bath as a substitute.
Oral Health Uses
Because of its glorious skill to bind to heavy metals and toxins and supply minerals, I exploit bentonite clay in my remineralizing tooth powder recipe. It may also be used alone for brushing. It’s tasteless and comparatively textureless.
No time to make your own? We additionally use this clay-based toothpaste after we journey. The children love the style, and I really like that we’re holding up with our oral health routine away from home!
In addition, I combine bentonite with water for an alkalizing and toxin-removing mouth rinse. I combine 1/2 teaspoon of clay in 1/4 cup water in a small jar with a plastic lid and shake nicely. Then, I rinse with the water for 1-2 minutes and repeat till I’ve used all of it.
Internal Uses
Bentonite is great for digestive points, together with IBS signs, nausea, constipation, and acid reflux disease. During early being pregnant, I took 1/2 tsp of bentonite clay dissolved in water to push back morning illness. It helped me really feel higher. My midwife gave me the okay however verify along with your healthcare supplier earlier than utilizing during being pregnant.
For inside cleaning, I drink 1/2 to 1 teaspoon most days in a cup of water. It helps draw out the toxins from the physique. I’ve seen it improves my digestion and provides me more power. I’ve additionally seen my nails and hair grow more shortly. Make sure any clay taken internally is labeled secure for inside use. This is the one we use.
Though I haven’t tried it personally, I’ve examine bentonite and different therapeutic clays getting used internally to help cut back radiation publicity, in various most cancers therapies, and in MRSA infections. It’s additionally mentioned to help in parasite elimination, although I haven’t tried this both.
If your pet is vomiting or exhibiting indicators of sickness, give them bentonite. Add it to their water or combine it with water and provides it orally with a dropper. I’ve seen a number of instances the place this helped pets recuperate shortly from what would have in any other case been severe diseases.
Bentonite Clay Precautions
As with any natural treatment, there are some precautions you’ll need to observe when utilizing bentonite clay.
Metal reduces its effectiveness. So, don’t let it come into contact with something metallic. This contains bowls or mixing utensils. I combine mine by shaking it in a glass jar with a plastic lid or utilizing a plastic whisk.
If taking it internally, don’t take it inside an hour of eating for finest outcomes. In addition, don’t take it inside 2 hours of drugs or dietary supplements, as it’d cut back their effectiveness.
Bentonite and Lead
As talked about earlier, you need to purchase bentonite from a dependable, high quality source. This is as a result of there are considerations that it could possibly comprise lead. Bentonite is a naturally occurring substance from the earth and accommodates varied hint components, as with something that comes from the earth (together with greens!). You can learn my full ideas on that here.
Even although there are hint quantities of unabsorbable lead in bentonite, you need to purchase manufacturers that don’t comprise high ranges of lead. Several manufacturers had been banned by the FDA because of this. For instance, a 2016 FDA study warned customers to not purchase a model referred to as “Best Bentonite Clay” out of Guthrie, Oklahoma, resulting from high lead ranges.
Of course, I all the time advocate doing all of your own analysis, particularly on controversial topics like lead publicity. Based on my findings, I really feel completely snug utilizing it externally and internally for my household. However, you probably have any medical situations, all the time verify along with your physician earlier than utilizing it.
Final Thoughts on Bentonite Clay
The advantages of this therapeutic clay are far-reaching and fairly wonderful. From skincare to digestive points and detox, the checklist is long for what it could possibly help with. And as a result of it’s cheap, I extremely advocate including this historic natural treatment to your wellness routine and natural drugs cupboard.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Mariza Snyder, a practical practitioner. As all the time, this isn’t private medical advice and we advocate that you simply discuss along with your physician.
Have you ever used bentonite clay or different therapeutic clays? What did you employ it for? Did it work? Share under!